Category Archives: mixed media

The year was 1996: the bartenders at Empire Brewing Company on Walton Street in Armory Square/downtown Syracuse, New York used to slip me handfuls of coasters all the time. I used them as collage material in my oil & collage paintings. I’m not a beer (or any alcoholic beverage) drinker but still – I was a bit of a barfly back in the day. I really love that place!

Well, they opened a farm brewery on Route 13 in Cazenovia, New York a while back. It is a magnificent venue in every way – you must make your pilgrimage if you haven’t done so already. It is the power of Empire times infinity! I was there this evening for Kara Daviau’s art reception.

Delicious food and drink specials, of course, and – who knew? a spectacular basement tasting/barrel room with brick walls and the most splendid ambiance for an art exhibition. Kara’s work is a perfect match for this space.

Her new series is titled Keep Me Where the Light Is. Kara is continuing her journey of discovering abandoned places and summoning them to life with music. She captures the essences of the forgotten beauty while listening to specific tunes, adding sheet music as collage before tackling the canvases with vibrant acrylic hues.

Her new mantra is expand. She is voraciously seeking new places to show and sell her artwork, (which includes merchandise – magnets, notecards, T-shirts and other accessories – you can find these and more at Wildflowers Armory in Armory Square).

As of very recently, her paintings have been accepted in juried exhibitions at galleries in New York City and in Connecticut and Maryland with the opportunity for solo exhibitions in all locations on the horizon. I asked her if she would seek abandoned spaces in these areas to create new work that resonates with people who live there. Not yet was her response.

She is at a crossroads, both personally and professionally. Her focus is on healing and with that a strong urge to self reflect via self-portraiture may be the next leg in her journey. She’d added a mini self-portrait to the lower corner of one of these paintings then wiped it out, as if to say she wasn’t quite ready for that leap…yet.

I trust that Kara will visualize the success she deserves with any step she takes on her path to get there. She is a beautiful person both inside and out. I love the trailblazing spirit that guides her choices – such an incredibly talented artist and a wonderful role model for both her own children and her students. ❤

Kara Daviau’s art studio is located at the Delavan Center (Studio 249), 509 W. Fayette Street, Syracuse, New York. For more information about this work and more, contact her at KLDAV@HOTMAIL.COM.

Discord is a necessary factor in conscious creation because when you know what you don’t want, you can know what you do want. So it can be a good thing even while it is causing the upset. In its acknowledgement, the theory is that change can happen. And there’s magic in that.

Art Rage is the gallery in Syracuse, New York that specializes in social injustice and political satire. It’s not typically my thing. I am so la-la-la lately, living life in a sort of happiness bubble of gratitude and appreciation, and not giving much attention to the national headlines that seem to keep others in a constant state of pissed-off-ness. I don’t often agree with the arguments. But I attended this art reception anyway – I do love when an artist translates their angst into something tangible that transcends its origins and hands the world something beautiful. And I loved every minute I spent viewing this incredible new work and talking to artist Jim Ridlon.

Discord & Dissent: Commentary on Contemporary Politics by Jim Ridlon is the final show this season at Art Rage, 505 Hawley Ave., Syracuse, New York, 13203. And it is truly genius!

Ridlon was not a fan of the political shenanigans, as witnessed on the morning news during the 2016 presidential campaigns. What followed was a bit of scribbling – sentences, words that he desired to expand upon via this new series of assemblages. Each one in this series is equipped with its own statement to guide the viewer to their own conclusions.

They are visual puns meant to take the sting out, to replace the discord with fun, humor and the strange machinations of this Renaissance man’s mind. They are outfitted in sports gear to possibly refer to the political arena as a game, as well as referencing his own history – football hero turned Syracuse University professor. There are clipped feathers found on meditative hikes taken with his son that speak of the illusion of the sanctity of government positions; rusty found objects from various trips to flea markets – hunting the perfect pair of old scissors or wood turnings, ropes/chains to bind the opponent in an intricate power trip. Well-worn accessories complete these framed boxes of objects, the human element that sets the viewer on this quest to create meaning.

Jim Ridlon is a true artist in every sense of the word and does justice to this art form by allowing us a glimpse into his vortex. I asked him if his studio was neatly organized – were all the scissors in a bin, leather bits together, et cetera? Answer – chaos! Lol, I love him!

Ridlon sets up his studio space so that he can concoct several pieces at once. They are on tables laid out in their frames, items amassed in nearby boxes first that speak to his mini manifestos. He builds, builds up then knocks everything down. Sometimes it takes over thirty tries to make one good product and once that solution arrives, it is like a game key that solves the puzzle and everything else just falls into place.

It is music to my ears when I hear an artist speak about their process. It is poetry. It is radiant and beautiful, and everything I love about creation. The work becomes the thing – important, all encompassing and his passion was just so present as he shared it with me. He told me that this process took months to complete. He spent days and days working on them and many, many nights dreaming about them. He was a man consumed by this work. His eyes sparkled as he spoke of getting just the right element to fit the case then finalizing and gluing it all into place – a culmination that is weirdly spiritual. Like, it was not about politics anymore. That was just the spark to the flame. An idea that took thoughts to these wonderful things.

Were they for sale? Yes, but he quipped that he did not expect to sell them, as they have an ugly side to them. I didn’t agree. But I guess this is the case with artists of all skill level and experience. The force that reckons with the making and manipulation of art flickers out once the discord that brought it about dissipates.

Thank you, Jim Ridlon, for inspiring me as my aesthetics professor in 1981 and continuing to inspire me to desire to grow as an artist. To want to take a dream and make it real, and laugh in the face of current realities that are undesirable. Outrage can and does make a difference when one is aligned with their ultimate source. And then we watch as everything changes for the better.

Jim Ridlon will give a presentation about his work on June 11, 2018 at 7pm in the gallery. Visit the website or call (315) 218-5711 for more information including gallery hours.

After the Happy Little Tree House art reception on Tuesday, Brandon Hall took Karmin and me to see his other hospital exhibition. It is in the cancer center wing of Upstate Medical Center and will be up for a couple months, I think, or at least until the end of May.

Brandon is an art teacher at Fayetteville-Manlius High School. He scours flea markets and garage sales to find discarded photograph albums and situates these unknown strangers into wallpapered assemblage landscapes peppered with texture and color. They are mounted on wood and double-lacquered to prevent fading. They are really exquisite and priced at only $250!

Also in this show are Heidi VanTassel’s photography and paintings by Kate Renetta.

I was invited to participate in an art show at the Syracuse, New York Golisano Children’s Hospital. In 2011, my Chittenango Middle School students exhibited Mexican sun sculptures in this same little gallery on the 12th floor. This time Ryan Wood from the 40 Below Public Arts Task Force connected with Jenny Dickinson, Coordinator for Pediatric Programs and Events to create an art event in which all artists produced treehouse themed art and called it The Happy Little Treehouse Show.

An all call went out via email and I responded. Three weeks ago, I created three new paintings for the event. Other artists in this group exhibition are as follows: Madison M. Quinn, Carlos Lee, Micha L. Crook, Sofia Marquez, Eva Hunter, Brandon Hall, Becki Fuller, Tommy Lincoln, Karmin Schafer, Jamie Santos, Melquea Smith, Aldea K. Gerard and Ryan Wood.

Many of the works are priced as donations to the hospital. Mine too, although the signage was wrong on that. I must have checked the wrong box when I filled out the form.

My paintings are titled “Spring”, “Autumn” and “Winter”. They are encaustic combines. I used two hardboard panels to create the abstract tree and house then added a variety of found object items. Encaustic is a process of heating beeswax and infusing it with oil paint. They are priced at $75 each.

The one hour reception took place this afternoon. Because of hospital security issues, only artists and hospital staff attended. It was really lovely networking with the other artists. The gallery is a wonderful space, right across from the library near the elevators.

Thirteen paintings from my angel series “Futura” are currently on display at the Half Moon Bakery & Bistro in Jamesville, New York! Bobbi Petrocci and I pulled the switch-a-roo – she took down the CBA Hope for the Bereaved exhibit and installed my show by lining up these encaustics to look like ethereal soldiers hovering from above to love and protect the foodie patrons at this wonderful café.

The paintings are $111 each. If you want one, just let proprietor Debbe Titus know. She can contact me and I will meet you there. You will get to take one (or more) home for Christmas! They really do work best in multiples! They are small: 8″ x 10″ paintings on masonite mounted on 11″ x 14″ chalkboard.

It is always such a thrill to exhibit here. I have a fondness for a captive audience – people who do not ordinarily go to art shows, so we bring the art to them. Making the invisible visible is what it’s about. The show will be up during the month of December 2017.

Futura comes down on Saturday, November 11, 2017 (11/11). You can still see the show and buy the work in a cash and carry. Paintings are $111 each. Eye Studio is located at 712 W. Manlius, East Syracuse, NY. They are not open today – hours are 11:00 am – 7:00 pm Monday – Saturday.

Here are the pictures from the closing reception last Friday night. I am so grateful to Ilene Layow for offering me this wonderful space and throwing such an awesome party complete with music by Jerry Cali, and that gratitude is extended to all of my friends, patrons and family who came to support my art career. Great time! ❤ ❤ ❤

My friends and I had a lot of fun in the journey of traveling through the labyrinth that is the Delavan Center. It is a building west of Armory Square that houses artist studios. There was open house last night. The party continues today until 4:00 pm. The Delavan is located at 509 W. Fayette Street in Syracuse, New York, 13204. (315) 476-9001

You will find lots of treasures! Artists are selling paintings, ceramics, sculpture, clothing and jewelry – buy something for yourself or to give as gifts this holiday season.